Page 21

I blinked awake and immediately collided with Rowen’s verdant gaze. His face was etched with pain, yet his shoulders loosened in relief. “Oh, thank fuck.”

My first thought was how I wished I could wipe away the deep smudges under his eyes and the lingering trail of blood from his nose. The second was that I was sweltering, feeling trapped inside an inferno. Even though the sun had barely begun to rise, the heat was unbearable.

A blazing fire licked at my limbs as a massive weight suffocated me. I squirmed, realizing Maddock’s arms and legs were draped over me, his bare chest radiating heat everywhere our skin touched.

I was spooning my enemy on the ground in front of the man I loved. But was Maddock my enemy still? My hatred toward him felt less boiling, less all-encompassing.

Though I was grateful he helped save me, we didn’t need to cuddle.

Rowen turned to check my clothes drying by the fire. I squirmed and stirred to get Maddock off me. When suddenly, I felt a growing bulge press into my lower back. I shot him a feral look over my shoulder.

“Is it bigger than his?” he asked with a smirk that showed off his perfectly straight teeth.

“Not even close,” I said, shoving him away, my strength already returning. “And I was just starting to like you.”

Maddock sat upright with a groan. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it with all your . . . wiggling.”

My eyes shot to Rowen. “The water, it’s flowing now,” I said, changing the subject.

I don’t think Rowen heard. If he had, Maddock’s face would be punched in by now.

I imagined my soul flame was in enough pain as it was.

We didn’t need to address Madds’ hard-on.

“I was able to control it. For the most part.”

“Sure you were. If that’s what you want to call it,” Maddock remarked beside me, pulling his shirt over his head. “Were you trying to get yourself killed?”

I stood on shaky legs, swimming in Rowen’s tunic. The collar was so wide it hung off one of my shoulders, revealing a few of my shimmering scars. “Though the execution was a little rough, the outcome was as intended. Right? Please tell me it worked?” I asked, suddenly afraid I’d failed.

Rowen’s face lit with pride, and he nodded in the distance.

“Yes, I can hear the creeks flowing again. You were magnificent. Even if you did scare me to death,” Rowen said, his eyes leveling with mine before rising to Maddock’s.

“Thank you for keeping her alive. Though it doesn’t make me want to kill you any less. ”

“Don’t mention it,” Maddock said, his gaze trailing up Rowen’s bare torso. His expression was a mix of admiration and fear until he winced, noticing the mottled scar above my soul flames heart. “So, no one’s getting murdered tonight?”

Rowen cocked a thick eyebrow. “That remains to be seen.”

“Are my pants dry yet?” I asked. I didn’t want to spend another minute here. I’d done what I set out to do and nearly killed myself in the process. I also didn’t want to examine what Maddock had done for me too closely.

“Not yet,” Rowen replied, his murderous stare softening only for me, "but your stockings are.”

I plopped on a rock and put on my shoes and socks. I may not be able to fully dress, but this was good enough.

“What are you doing?” Maddock asked. “You need more rest. In case you missed it, you died.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” I said, my eyes fixed on lacing up my boots.

I couldn’t bear to look Maddock in the eyes.

Even though he helped save me, I wanted to be nowhere near him.

Plus, I’d been writhing and begging in his arms, something I would never live down.

“I want to get back to the village and take a long, hot bath.”

Rowen gathered our things, holstered his ax, and extinguished the fire.

“Rowen?” Maddock asked incredulously, rising to his feet. “You know she still needs rest.”

“You’ll learn soon enough that once Keira puts her mind to something, she is going to do it,” Rowen said, his eyes tipping up to meet mine with a smirk. “If she says she’s ready to go, then she’s ready to go. Do you want me to tie her to a tree?”

“Yes! That would be preferable,” Maddock said as he rubbed his hand down his mouth. “I swear, I’m the only one with any sense around here.”

“Sure,” Rowen replied, tossing the waterskins to Madds. “Go fill these up for us, will you? There should be a small creek just beyond those trees now.”

Maddock caught the flasks and eyed Rowen skeptically. “You won’t desert me out here, will you?”

“I think we’re far past that,” Rowen said, the first rays of sunlight highlighting his bare chest. “Don’t you? ”

Maddock’s sharp features relaxed as his gaze darted between the two of us. “I’ll be right back.”

Maddock disappeared into the trees, and my eyes shot to Rowen. “Are you all right?” we asked simultaneously and chuckled.

“I’m murderous,” Rowen replied. “You?”

“Feeling pretty lethal myself, actually,” I said, stepping as close to him as I possibly could. “Thank you for everything you did. That couldn’t have been easy.”

“I would do it a thousand times over if it meant keeping you alive. When he put his hands and mouth on you, Keira, I don’t know, I just had to trust him. Even after everything he did to you, I had to believe he’d save you. He looks at you like he cares. I had to hold onto that."

I glanced into the distance where Madds had passed from sight. “I still don’t trust him.”

“I know, but what other choice did I have?”

“Good thing it was up to you to make that call. If I’d been able, I would have told him to get the fuck off,” I said, itching to run my fingers through Rowen’s dark waves.

“Oh, you said that many times,” he replied, his breath washing over my face and pebbling my skin. “It is my life’s goal to give you everything you desire, but in this, I had to override your wishes. As much as it pained me to see you in another man’s arms.”

“I wanted it to be you,” I whispered. The warmth he awakened in me still begged for his touch. Our lips were an inch apart, our blood pulsing with need and desire. When suddenly, Maddock barged through the bushes like an oaf.

“You ready?” he asked, watching us jump apart as he held the plump waterskins.

I reached for one of the flasks and drank until my belly bulged. “Yes,” I said, wiping the water off my chin. “The sooner I can have a hot bath, the better.”

We made our back to the village in awkward silence, and I found myself sandwiched between the towering men who had worked together to strip, clothe, and save me.

I wasn’t sure if it looked like I’d had the best or worst night of my life.

My hair was a messy halo around my head, I wore no pants, and Rowen’s linen shirt barely covered my thighs.

My soul flame was beside me, matching my pace and walking as close to me as he possibly could. He was naked from the waist up, his chest burgeoning with a strength that still amazed me. He had gained so much muscle, and my fingers yearned to explore the new, deeper divots of his body.

I snapped my eyes away from him, wrangling in my thoughts that strayed to what I could find in his pants, what I could stroke, lick, and taste.

Deciding that I would rather be angry than turned on, I slid my eyes to Maddock.

He wasn’t as tall as Rowen nor as broad, but his lean muscles still promised the strength and agility of a formidable opponent.

Despite my lingering hatred toward him, I couldn’t deny it was his body that had kept me alive.

Suddenly, my gaze shot upward as a bright light flashed through the dawn.

The light was blinding with a tail of white fire.

“I’ve never seen such a big shooting star!

” I exclaimed with awe as the light arced overhead.

But instead of fading like the last words of a wish, it continued to streak through the sky, barreling closer and closer.

“Me neither,” Rowen warily said as he tracked its descent. “That doesn’t look like your typical falling star. Look at the speed and brightness. Something is off. ”

“That’s not normal around here?” Maddock asked with clipped paranoia, squinting as the light from the heavens engulfed his gaze.

“No,” Rowen replied, his green eyes widening in alarm. “Take cover,” he yelled as the ball of light hurtled toward us.

The meteor’s impact was brutal and sent shockwaves through the ground. Even though it crashed hundreds of meters away, the force knocked me off my feet. A rising plume of dirt swallowed me whole and cut up my arms and legs.

“Is everyone all right?” Rowen’s voice pierced through the ringing in my ears.

“Yes.” I coughed, blinking out bits of dust from my eyes.

“Madds?” he called out with concern.

“I’m here,” Maddock said, groaning. “That thing nearly killed us. This world is a death trap. Remind me why you moved here again, Keira?”

“Someone I care about happens to live here. Something you wouldn’t know anything about,” I snapped, still trying to stay angry rather than to feel . . . anything else.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” he said, and it may have been the dirt in my eyes, but I swore Maddock flinched as if my words could hurt him. But that was impossible. This man had no feelings. He was perfectly content to rip my mind apart and slash my memories to pieces.

I stood and dusted off my shirt, redirecting my focus. I raised the crook of my arm to shield my eyes from the smoke.

“What are you two doing?” Maddock asked in shock as Rowen and I made our way to the impact sight.

“Taking a look,” I replied for the both of us.

“I’ll say it again. I’m the only one with any sense around here,” Maddock groaned as he chased after us. “We definitely should not be doing this. Keira, you nearly died. That makes twice today! ”

“I told you that’s not uncommon,” I replied, quickening my pace to reach whatever had fallen to the earth, and a tug pulled at my chest. “Wait. I feel something.”